Privacy,
built into the core
Koto is built around privacy: encryption keys stay on your devices, registration needs no phone number, and there's no profile for ad targeting.
Your account is a secret phrase
On registration Koto generates 12 words — a cryptographic key, just like in a crypto wallet. It's stored only on your device, so we have no access to your account and never share it with third parties.
- ✓Sign up without a phone number
- ✓Move to a new device with the same 12 words
- ✓Lose the phrase, lose access: only you hold the key
What's under the hood
End-to-end encryption
Encrypted chats — messages are visible only to participants. Keys never leave your devices.
Disappearing messages
On a timer — the message vanishes for both sides.
Forward secrecy
MLS continuously rotates keys — past messages stay protected even if a device is compromised.
Blind relay
The server routes only ciphertext and never sees the contents of your conversations.
Open core
Koto's cryptographic core is open and available for independent audit.
No ad profile
We don't use the contents of your private chats for ad targeting.
More details in the privacy policy
What we store, what we don't, and how encryption is implemented.